


Six Different Ways

by katiibishop



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King, Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-07 07:05:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12835866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katiibishop/pseuds/katiibishop
Summary: The losers club embark on an adventure to Indiana to stay with Richie's cousin, and realise that there's a lot more to learn about Hawkins than meets the eye. Or, as Richie puts it; "Holy fuckin' shit, I thought Derry was bad."The losers just want to have a fun summer vacation. A vacation that is vastly... different than last years. Turns out God despises them, and there's no escaping terrifying demons that feed off fear.





	1. Chapter 1

Thursday 6th June, 1986. Friday. The last day at school before summer, and Richie was feeling uncharacteristically anxious. Final period of Physics seemed to drag on, and he honestly understood none of it. So he sucked on the end of his pencil and thought about Hawkins, Indiana. Soon to be holiday destination for the next three months, with Aunt Karen and cousin Mike and Nancy. And Ted. Fuck Uncle Ted.  
His six year old memories of Hawkins were pretty blurry, but it wasn't challenging to recall how much of a shithole Hawkins was. It could probably rival Derry’s level of shittiness. Alas, there was no way in hell he was going alone. He aimed the pencil at the back of Eddie’s head, two rows in front. He lobbed it carefully. 

“What the- jesus, Richie what?” Eddie turned hastily, glancing at the professor.  
Richie smirked. “Stop looking at me like that you asshole! Wha-“ Eddie whisper-shouted, the shrill bell cutting him off. 

“Yeah!!!” The room’s silence ceased, desks banging together and several kids hollering as they dumped their books on the front desks and scrambled out the door. “Thank FUCKIN God!” Richie grinned, tossing his chair back and slinging his backpack over his left shoulder. “C’mon, Eds! We got a loser’s club meeting to attend, hopefully as far away from this dump as possible!” Richie skipped towards Eddie and threw his arm around the smaller boy.  
“Tozier, language!” The professor called, frowning at the two’s intimacy. Fuck you, old man. Richie thought. “Whatever, teach, have a good one!” He shouted as they exited, Eddie trying his best to push his goofy friend off him.  
“Fuck off of me, moron!” Eddie wrinkled his nose as he thrust Richie’s pencil into his hands. Richie promptly dropped it, and they continued to make their way down the crowded halls. “What did you want? And what’s this… meeting about?”  
Well, it kind of went unsaid that a Losers club assembly was mandatory this day, as it marked one entire year since school ended last year and the starting point of the chaotic, murderous shape-shifting clown that killed Bill Denborough’s little brother and almost all of them if they hadn't managed to defeat it.  
“Eddie! Richie! Wait up!” Beverly Marsh called, clutching a pile of books. She slid in line with them, followed seconds after by Mike Hanlon, slotting besides Eddie and Bev. Since the start of the school year, Mike’s grandfather had allowed him to attend high school, and after several months, Beverly had managed to convince her aunt to allow her to move back to Derry to attend the same school as her friends.  
“How was physics?” Mike raised an eyebrow. Richie groaned loudly. “Dude, shut UP! We don’t have to think of physics for three months now!” Richie whooped, reaching a hand out to idly flick Mike’s hair. “Anyways, I have something to propose at the Quarry to the whole club, yeah?” The four continued down the stairwell, Richie attempting to slide down the banisters, much to the  
gang’s dismay and borderline second hand embarrassment. He clumsily flopped off headfirst into a group of seniors.

“Guys, we gotta get him on a leash, I swear.” Eddie grumbled.  
“Leash? That’s kinky.” Richie remarked as he nudged his way back next to Eddie.  
“Y-yeah, control your b-b-b boyfriend, K-kaspbrak.” Bill Denborough approached from the arts corridor, grinning limply and stumbling a little to catch up.  
“I’m the straightest straight to ever straight, billy boy.” Richie muttered. His cheeks were pink.“Sh-sure.” Bill winked at Eddie. Eddie pulled a face that looked like he’d just been force-fed a plate full of shit. “Bill!” Bev exclaimed, offering him a happy grin. “We’re headed to the Quarry, you seen Ben and Stan?”  
“Nope, Stan said they’d wait for us near the fountain, they had gym last period.”  
The group exited the building, chatting amicably as Richie sneered and gestured obscenely at the building, walking backwards. He collided straight into Ben.  
“Holy fuckin HELL, Ben! Watch it, will ya?” Richie shrieked with a texan twang.  
“Always the trash mouth, huh?” Ben raised an eyebrow at his friend.  
“…Y’all GODDAMNED northerners are fuckin off ya rockers, man, I swear to Jesus-“ Richie droned on. “Richie, s- stop doin your f-fucking voices for just a moment, o-okay?” Bill attempted to intervene. Richie continued. Stan sauntered up in the midst of this, casually lifting his hand in greetings. “Hey losers.”  
“STAN!” Richie ceased his bullshitting and latched his arms around Stan’s waist. “How’s my favourite Jew doing?” Stan was visibly uncomfortable.  
“Don’t touch me.” Stan jerked away, smoothing his shirt back out with a slight grimace. “Are we going to the Quarry still?” He questioned Bill.  
Bill shrugged nonchalantly. “Yeah, apparently.” Mike chipped in helpfully.  
“Richie has something to ‘propose’.” Eddie snorted, using sarcasm inducing air quotations. 

“As a matter of fact, I do, boys. And Bev.” Richie added. “I think using the term ‘boys’ when referring to a group as a whole should be gender neutral.”  
Beverly quipped.  
“Seconded.” Mike raised an arm.  
“Notion p-passed.” Bill smiled.  
“Rad.” Bev grinned.  
“Anyways, boys-“ Richie emphasised that he was addressing everyone.  
Bev gave him a thumbs up.  
“We should hurry, before the Bowers gang make it out of detention and decide to continue their oh so thrilling summer tradition of terrorising the shit out of us. Or Eddie’s mom decides to hunt him down. Or comes to suck me off. Could go either way, really.”  
Eddie shoved him. “Ow, Eds-“  
“Fuck off. I hate you.”  
Richie smiled at him endearingly. “How cute.” 

“C’mon, let’s hit the bike shed.” Mike intervened. A few months after the losers club ‘defeated’ Pennywise, the losers club had became even closer, and met up as often as possible, despite Beverly living with her aunt. Since Bev was stuck standing on the back bars of Stan’s bike, during the remainder of their summer and after school escapades (which Mike thought must feel very degrading, especially as she was the only female loser), the losers club had clubbed together and bought a bike for her birthday.They saved up for it for months, and Richie worked extra paper runs for three whole weeks. He moaned non stop about it, but everyone knew he’d do it for ten times the amount for any of his friends. They finally purchased the bike the night before her birthday, ten minutes before the local biking store closed. It was a deep red colour and the paintwork was amazing. Ben and Bill has singled it out months ago, and luckily nobody has bought it before they had the chance to do so. It wasn't one of those pink bikes with limited gears and fluffy baskets that the store seemed to engineer towards girls, and it wasn't the most expensive and decent quality bike, but it worked, and Beverly adored it. So as of Beverly’s birthday, the entire group’s method of transportation was bike. 

“Pip pip and tally-ho, my good losers! Onwards!” Richie piped. He kicked the dirt on the ground dramatically and rode off, loose shirt flapping in the idle wind. Everyone else followed suit, chattering amiably as they rode down the school’s pathway.  
“Oh shit! Bowersgang, 3’ o clock! Go go go!” Eddie yelled, ramming his foot down.  
“Oh- SHIT-“ Ben squealed. The losers club descended past the streaming flow of students, pedalling hard until they reached the hill and began to cruise downwards.  
Vic Criss tossed a measly plastic bottle that landed a good the metres away from any of the losers. Bev turned and raised her middle finger. “Pathetic!” She grinned. Ben’s cheeks noticeably flared, and Richie and Bill shared a knowing glance. They said nothing, and continued onwards to the Quarry.


	2. The Losers Club are intellectuals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the losers struggle to stay on one topic

“So, my fellow intellectuals, I believe we have all arrived and are in splendid joviality to discuss my proposal.” Richie stretched against his favourite rock above the Quarry’s abyss. Of course Richie has a favourite rock.  
“Did your mother feed you a dictionary for breakfast due to your shitty english grades or something?”  
Eddie snarked.  
“Nope, but your mother did, and she did get rather handsy with it.” Richie winked.  
“Cut the horse shit, Tozier, what do you want?” Stan glared at him.  
“Stan, my fellow Jew, I thought you would already know down to our special Jew-y telepathetic connection!” Richie feigned horror.  
“Good God, we’ll leave you here soon if you don’t spit it out soon.” Mike grumbled.  
“Okay, okay, I’ll stop horsing around!” Richie exclaimed, tone edging into seriousness.  
“Look, I know no one here is going on a summer vacation with their family, and I am aware I should have said this sooner, but I’m ohhh so sadly being carted off to Indiana to stay with my cousins for 2 months.”  
“You’re leaving us?” Beverly frowned, worried.  
“You can’t leave- n-n not after l-last y-y-year. W-we’ve been c-c counting d-down the d-days, hell the HOURS u-until summer, it w-won’t be the s-same without y-you!” Bill stood, arms folded.  
“Yeah, you're staying here, Richie. We need our resident trashmouth.” Mike said.  
“What the fuck Richie you can't leave me, I’ll go nuts-“ Eddie started, panicking slightly.  
“Oh, don't worry Eds- you’ll be coming with me whether or not mama Kaspbrak likes it or not.” Richie beamed.  
“What- what does that mean? Could you fuckin… elaborate, Richie?” Eddie questioned sharply.  
“Si, mi amigo.” Richie shifted. “So, what I actually wanted to ask was if… well, if you guys would be willing to… come with me? My cousin said we can stay in his basement and my aunt doesn't mind me bringing a few friends.” 

Beverly clutched her knees tighter against her chest, lip curled.  
“My mom would have an aneurysm, no way.” Eddie said, shaking his head.  
“Yeah, well too bad Eddie, you're coming with me anyways. I am not willing to split the Losers club up for two months, but I am willing to take you with me. Wherever I go, you go, and vice versa, my angry little chipmunk.”

“Please do not ever call me that again.” Eddie shot a harsh glare at his friend.  
“Okay!” Richie chirped, pushing his glasses back up his nose. “So, who’s in? It’s gonna have to be all or just me and Eds. I’m not gonna fuck up everyone else’s summer and leave them with just themselves or a few other losers. We’re like the, fuckin… seven musketeers!”  
“Yeah, uh, we’re not.” Stan quipped.  
“Be quiet, Stanothy.” Richie pointed at him.  
Bev snorted.  
“Eddie, control your man, please.” Stan nudged Eddie with his leg.  
“Fuck off.” Eddie’s face was of a man ready to commit multiple murders.  
“Guys, listen!” Richie gritted out, mildly irked now. “Look, our parents all know we had a… rough time last year without the specific details of a alien killer clown trying to eat us, and honestly, who here wouldn't want a clean break from our families for a few months? No offence, but I don’t think any of us have a nurturing and supporting family who want the best for us.” Richie accompanied the last part with air quotations. 

“He’s got a point. I’ll ask my aunt, I’m sure she’d love me out of town for summer so she can screw her boyfriend.” Beverly smiled.  
“My dad hates you Richie, and so do I to a certain extent-“ Stan’s deadpan broke into an amused grin as he watched Richie’s face go from pleasantly eager to mortified. “I’m kidding, you know I love you.”

Eddie shifted a little further towards Richie. 

“Anyways, I’ll see what I can do. I’m sure I can talk my mom around, definitely.”  
Stan finished.  
“If Beverly goes, I can go. My mother absolutely loves Bev.” Ben said. “And my mother doesn't even like me.”  
Beverly tended to be a parent pleaser, oddly enough.  
“My grand pops gonna be a bit skeptical. He don’t trust you guys. He calls you my crazy white friends.” Mike snorted.  
“Your grand pops is an a -asshole, Mike. We c-can fight him ffor you.” Bill offered.  
Mike looked to the ground. “Nah, if anyones gonna fight that cynical old bastard, its gonna be me.”  
“We’ll provide back up.” Eddie stated.  
Mike narrowed his eyes. “You guys scare me sometimes. He’ll come round to it anyways, if I say it ain’t a whites only type town.” He looks at Richie. “Its not, right?”  
“Uhhhh…” Richie faltered.  
“Yes or no, trashmouth.” Ben prodded.  
“I don’t know, I haven’t been since I was eight! I don’t even remember what my cousins look like. I can call Nancy and ask if she knows any black people if you want.”  
Richie suggested.  
“God, no do not do that.” Mike sighed, exasperated. “Never mind. I guess there’s only one way to find out, huh?”  
“My mom w-would kill for me to g-get out of town for a while, I th-think. She thinks st-staying here isn't gggood for me after what h-happened last year.”  
Bill stuttered.  
Richie stretched back against his rock.  
“Your moms will say yes. They’ll do aaanything pour moi.” He blew a kiss in Eddie’s face.  
Eddie lashed out and slapped his cheek.  
“Ow, fuck, Eddie!”  
“K.O!” Stan commented.  
“It gives me indescribable pleasure to see Richie in pain when he deserves it.” Ben smiled.  
Ben was strange like that. He’d often say the most questionable shit, but accompany it with a contradictory dazzlingly innocent smile, Stan thought. It scares me. At least when I’m messing with Richie I don’t make it so… creepy.  
“Ben are you going to murder Richie? Normally I’d be willing to help, but I’d actually like to come with him to Indiana, so save it for after summer break please.” Stan laid his arm on Ben’s shoulder, looking him dead in the eye. The corner of his lip quirked. Ben faltered, and started shaking with laughter.  
“Okay, so you’re all sure you wanna come?” Richie chewed his lip. “Uh, yeah?” Bev glanced around.  
Everyone nodded or mumbled a positive.  
Richie grinned.  
Mike coughed. “So, now we got that out the way- who wants to go swim?”  
“Last to jump off has to kiss Eddie’s mom!” Richie screamed, practically tearing his eye sore of a hawaiian shirt. Beverly sped right after him, her floral shirt and denim shorts screwed up on the gravel.She passed him and dove straight off the cliff edge. “You’re never gonna beat me, Tozier!”  
“What the FUCK-“ Richie screeched for perhaps the seventh time whilst witnessing Bev do something crazy.  
Stan shrugged nonchalantly, looking at the others. “Let’s do it, boys.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yea uhhhhhh this was kinda a filler chapter I guess ?? Sorry I'm really bad at starting fics off and setting everything up, hopefully this wasn't too bad? Will update again Sunday because I'm currently busy as hecc for the next few days BUT the next chapter they're gonna be travelling from Derry to Hawkins,, idk how I'm gonna pull that off because I'm not American and i have like -2 knowledge about the states  
> Anyways, I appreciate everyone who's given kudos and/ or commented or even read!!! thank u 
> 
> ps the chapters are gonna start to be more lengthy soon i promise


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> y'all mind if I... update after a month whip 
> 
> sorry for taking so long,,,, but i don't know whether to go with Nancy/Steve or Nancy/ Jonathan so pls pls comment who down below,, i mean they're both going to show up at some point
> 
> as always, thanks for reading xx
> 
> also im pretending Indiana is like 2 hours from Maine because its easier and I can

Richie laid his backpack out on bed. It looked pretty worn out, but it was the only one he owned. Damn. I really don’t know what to pack. Richie thought. He collapsed onto his bed beside the backpack and glanced around the room. What to take? His room was pretty full. It was brimming with UFO posters, gimmicky toys and various sketches of the losers that Bill gave him for Hannukkah He looked at his drawers. Ah. Clothes! Eddie’s voice echoed in his head. If Eddie was here he’d tell him to choose clothes. That’d be a good plan. With a sigh, Richie heaved himself up. Okay. He yanked a handle and opened the top drawer. They were all his hawaiian shirts. He raked a hand in and scooped them all out. Ugly hawaiian shirts are an iconic staple of my wardrobe, of course I need all of them. Richie thought as he pushed them into the depths of his backpack. They were already semi folded, so it didn't really matter. 

‘Richie? Are you all packed up?” His mom hovered behind his bedroom door, biting her lip.  
“I’m almost done, mama, yeah.” Richie nodded. “See- I got alllll of my essentials-“ He thrust his backpack in front of her. “Richie, I swear to- never mind, this is exactly why I wanted to pack for you.” Mrs. Tozier raised a hand against her temple. Richie grinned. “Okay, okay mom. You can do it, I’ll muck it all up.”  
Mrs. Tozier sighed. “You do concern me sometimes, Richie.”  
“I know, mom.” Richie grinned.  
“You better treat your aunt nicely, okay? She’s going to lose her mind with you and all your friends running wild around Hawkins. I’m just happy to let you play all summer somewhere less… dangerous than Derry, Richard.” Mrs. Tozier raised an eyebrow impertinently.  
Ew, she full named me. Richie thought. 

“Aunt Karen is great, mama, don’t worry, we’ll be fine.” Richie reassured his mother.  
“Well, I sure hope poor Mike gets along with Eddie and your… gang.” She paused. It’s been years since you’ve seen each other! And- aww, Nancy will have grown soo much- she has a boyfriend now, you know- she’s such a lovely girl…” Richie’s mom droned on as her son shifted uncomfortably, staring out the window. The Losers were expected to meet in an hour so they could catch the interstate bus to Hawkins, but knowing them they’ll show up early, late and without warning alone. Richie was just so, so happy they were coming with him- two months of a town even more dreary than Derry in the middle of buttfuck nowhere with his nerdy cousin? No fucking thank you. Two months of a town even more dreary than Deryy in the middle of buttfuck nowhere with his nerdy cousin with Eddie and his friends? Eh, it’ll do. Richie smiled as his mind wandered towards his friends. Eddie, and his colourful vocabulary and angry freckles. His bestest, best friend. Ben, Bill, Mike, Bev, Stan. He loved them all equally, and although he got off way too many Good Ones at their expense, they were the reason he bothers to get out of bed in the morning, and he’d often remind them of this. They’d laugh it off as he’d dramatically serenade Stan and attempt to ball dance and croon in his ear: “I loveeee you, Stanley Urisss, no homo thoughh…” He’d partly do it to wind them up, but it was all in honesty.  
“Richie? Are you listening to me? I’ll go get your toothbrush seeing as you’re off in your own world, again.” Mrs. Tozier sighed.  
“Okay mama.” Richie mumbled, shifting towards the window, sort of expectantly.  
A tuft of brown hair and a scuffed hand appeared. Bruised knuckles pounded at the window. “Let me in, shit ass!” Someone hissed through the glass.  
Richie blinked. Shit ass?  
Eddie!  
He heaved the window open and peered downwards. “Eds- you're early! Its a christmas miracle!”  
“Now isn't the time for your voices, Tozier! Let us in or I’ll- I’ll kill your boyfriend!”  
Mike bellowed, struggling with Eddie hoisted on his shoulders.  
Oh. That would make sense. Eddie is only 5”2.  
“BOYFRIEND?” Eddie screeched indignantly at the same time Richie yelled: “THIS IS ANTI SEMITISM, HOMESCHOOLED!”  
Richie pulled Eddie up through and onto his ledge. “Guess you really couldn't wait the extra hour, huh-“  
Mike’s arm heftily swung and landed Eddie on the carpet, who screamed in turn. Mike then swung in, Indiana Jones style, making a point of kissing the bicep that pushed Eddie.  
“Oh, go fuck yourself, Mike!“ Eddie’s eye rolled backwards.  
“Hi, boys. You’re… early?” Mrs. Tozier clung to Richie’s toothbrush worriedly. She loved Mike and Eddie alone, but them together with her son was a concerningly definite recipe for disaster.  
“Hi Miss. Tozier!” Eddie chirped.  
“You don’t fool me, Edward.” Richie’s mother narrowed her eyes at the small boy. “ Want some milk duds for the journey, Mike, Eddie?”  
“Sure!”  
“Wow, two full naming in an hour, you're on a roll, mama.” Richie noted.  
She clunked him up the head with the toothbrush. “Make it three, Richard.” She disappeared down the stairwell. 

“Man, I hate you guys.” Richie complained, complacently poking Eddie’s cheek.  
“Ow, asshole.” Eddie slapped his finger away.  
Mike’s eyes were shining, and his grin was oddly permanent.  
“Richie, I think we broke Mike.” Eddie gazed up at Richie earnestly.  
“It does appear that our good friend Mike Hanlon is, uhhhhhhh broke.” Richie commented, using his newsreader voice. Mike slapped him directly in the face, eyes still alight. “My Granddaddy is letting me get away from the farm for two whole ass months, Richie! You're a moron, but a brilliant moron!”  
“Yeah, I am indeed, homeschooled.” Richie’s voice cracked as he gazed at his friend.

Something pelted at the window. Richie sighed, heaving it open once again, only for a second rock to hit him in the face. Being hit in the face- mostly by rocks- seemed a constant in his life at this point, he thought as he peered downwards again. “Ah, Stanathan. I see you got the right window this time.”  
Stanley Uris looked upwards, hands buried in his canvas shorts pockets. Blasé and collected as usual. A tartan suitcase with wheels was beside him. Of course Stan owns a fucking tartan suitcase, Riche thought. I wonder how many pairs of crocs his family owns.  
“Greetings, Richjamin.” He shrugged, glancing at his wrist watch.  
“You nonchalant bastard!” Richie shouted out the window, enraged.  
Eavesdropping Mrs Kellen next door dropped her watering can.  
“You’re coming with me to Indiana, asshole! Don’t look at your watch like you've got somewhere else to me, you smug little cocksucker!”  
Mrs Kellen next door gasped.  
Stan’s grin expanded double as he pressed the buzzer at the front door.  
“Yeah, use that fucking front door, you conformist dick! Win my mother over!”  
Stan was shaking with laughter as Richie’s father opened the front door. 

A while later, four sat in Richie’s room, until a familiar redhead somehow managed to unclasp Richie’s window and tumble in herself. Ben stood in the garden, clutching both of their luggage and watched in sheer wonder. He knocked on the front door, accompanied by Bill, whose mother had dropped him off exactly on time.  
Seven sat in Richie’s room. They were making fun of Stan’s ugly suitcase while Mr. Tozier fixed up the car’s backseats so they could drop the group off at the Interstate bus stop.  
“Richard! Bus is due in ten minutes!” Richie’s father scanned the group as he poked his head around the door. “Ready to haul ass and go to Indiana, kids?”


End file.
